The invention relates to a method for error containment and diagnosis in a fluid power system in which the fluid volumetric flow in the overall system or at least a part thereof or a quantity dependent thereon is detected as a measurement quantity in each case during a duty cycle and is compared with stored references and in each case at the point in time of a deviation or a change in the deviation from the reference it is determined at which a component or components of the system an event has occurred influencing fluid consumption in order to recognize same as subject to error.
In the case of such a method as described in the patent publication WO 2005/111433 A1 the air consumption curve is evaluated for error localization. In the case of deviations from a reference a conclusion is made from the point in time of the deviation as regards the faulty subsystem (for example a valve actuator unit) and, respectively, the faulty component. Such faults, which may occur in fluid power systems, are for example caused by wear of the components, faulty assembly, loose screw joints, porous hose, process errors or the like, which are expressed in movements of the fluid drives, and other seal defects of the most various different kinds. In order to avoid diagnosis errors due to changes in certain marginal conditions, such as pressure and temperature, the publication mentions possible correction of air consumption with the pressure and temperature. More particularly in the case of large fluid systems, in which a multiplicity of subsystems are simultaneously active, in the case of the known method it is not possible to see which of these components is faulty.